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  3. 129677-2013

80's iconic artists

The Dream Syndicate announced today that they have signed a new record deal with ANTI- which is the label for Jeff Tweedy, Billy Bragg, and others. They will release their first new album in 29 years in the next few months. The new Feelies album is fun and Love Tractor is currently in the studio. Now if only we could get Let's Active, Guadalcanal Diary, the Connells, and the Hoodoo gurus to release some new stuff. Am I too nostalgic? Probably. Is this music going to change the course of world history? Maybe. The reality is that with the daily assault of negative news of one sort or another, it is refreshing to have the simple pleasure and release of new music by artists you respect that bring back memories of the past and creative directions for the future- regardless of musical genre, style, or era.
maxnewid
loomisjohnson
1,958 posts
 
Bdp, I half agree with you on Graham Parker. His records declined significantly after his recognized masterpiece, squeezing out sparks, tho I felt it was less an issue of losing his songwriting muse and more  his struggling to find a right musical setting--he went, unwisely, from tough bar band to glossy new wave. He continued to write classics (wake up, you can't take love for granted), but also alot of filler-- he really needed an editor. I did start to lose interest in the 90s--the records were more lackluster than bad, but the odd gem like long stem rose and she wants so many things are fantastic--check em out 
maxnewid OP
449 posts
 
I agree with you that Squeezing Out Sparks is a classic. Two other artists of this era who have continued to release quality work are Robyn Hitchcock and Lloyd Cole. I think Cole in particular has been underappreciated.
loomisjohnson
1,958 posts
 
I love Hitchcock too, but he's another guy that puts out too many records. His latest, BTW, is vg
maxnewid OP
449 posts
 
You are probably right about Hitchcock. Unfortunately, a lot of the contemporary rock and roll artists I like could probably use a good editor. Guided By Voices and Brian Jonestown Massacre come to mind. At their best, both of those groups release compelling music. At their worst, they produce cacophonous vanity projects only memorable for how bad they are. 
loomisjohnson
1,958 posts
 
gbv/pollard is ridiculous--i just checked and in their various incarnations he's released over 110 unique lps and eps plus countless singles, scores etc. (over 2000 songs). what's surprising is that almost all of the (probably too many) i've heard have something worthwhile in there--the guy is a tunesmith.
bjm is, as you say, compelling at their best and at their worst indulgent or dull, tho like pollard the guy's too much a natural to sound really bad.
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